Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees and job applicants from discrimination based on protected classes like race, age, sex, gender, and religion. It also protects them from national origin discrimination, which might be less clear to those unfamiliar with the term. In addition to workplaces, the Act protects individuals from discrimination in health care, housing, and education. National origin can go hand-in-hand with race and skin color since the latter qualities indicate a person’s ancestry[…] Read More
Category: Employment Law
What Is Hiring Discrimination?
Hiring discrimination is an unfortunate reality for many job applicants. Hiring discrimination occurs when an employer makes a hiring decision based on factors unrelated to the job requirements. The decision may be based on race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other irrelevant factors. Employers might use personal preferences or biases instead of qualifications, skills, and ability in deciding whom to hire. Examples of hiring discrimination include: Here are some examples of actions that are not necessarily hiring discrimination,[…] Read More
Is Political Discrimination Legal at Work?
Political discrimination in the workplace is a contentious issue that raises serious questions about an individual’s rights at work. With increasing polarization and activism surrounding politics, it is not uncommon for employees to find themselves in situations where their political beliefs clash with those of their employers or colleagues. However, is political discrimination at work legal? Political affiliation is not explicitly protected under federal law, and employees have limited rights to express their political beliefs at work. In fact, employers[…] Read More
Can I Be Fired Because English Is Not My First Language?
In today’s multicultural society, workers speaking different languages is common. However, can an employer demand that employees speak English only? Under federal law, an employer cannot discriminate an employee due to their national origin. This means that employers cannot terminate employees for speaking a language other than English unless the job specifically requires English. If an employee speaks another language with customers or colleagues and does not have any issues understanding them, then this should not be grounds for termination.[…] Read More
How Can I Prove Race Discrimination in the Workplace?
Race discrimination is an ever-present reality for many workers, and understanding what it looks like and how it is proven is essential to protecting your rights as an employee. Race discrimination occurs when someone is treated differently or unfairly because of their race or ethnicity. It can be direct or indirect. Examples of direct race discrimination include being passed over for promotions because of one’s race or being subjected to offensive comments or jokes based on one’s race. Indirect race[…] Read More